Samuel 2 15
1 Emegbe la, Absalom ƒle tasiaɖam nyui aɖe kple sɔwo eye wòdi ame blaatɔ̃ siwo anɔ du ƒum le eŋgɔ.
Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.
2 Efɔna kaba ŋdi sia ŋdi, yia dua ƒe agbonu eye ne ame aɖe tsɔ nya aɖe gbɔna be fia nadrɔ̃ na ye la, Absalom yɔnɛ eye wòbianɛ be, “Du ka me nètso?” Ne ame la ɖo eŋu be “Wò dɔla tso Israel toawo dometɔ ɖeka me la,”
He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”
3 Absalom gblɔna be, “Mekpɔ be wò nya dzɔ; evem ŋutɔ be ame aɖeke mele Fia la ŋu si akpe ɖe eŋu le nya siawo dɔdrɔ̃ me o.”
Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”
4 Absalom gagblɔna be, “Nyee anye ʋɔnudrɔ̃la la hafi, ekema ame sia ame ate ŋu atsɔ eƒe ʋɔnunya vɛ nam eye madrɔ̃ nya dzɔdzɔe nɛ!”
Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”
5 Ne ame aɖe va be yeade ta agu nɛ la, melɔ̃na o, ke boŋ enaa asii eye wòkplaa asi kɔ nɛ boŋ.
When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.
6 Absalom to mɔ sia dzi eye wòna Israelviwo katã tsɔ lɔlɔ̃ tɔxɛ nɛ.
This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.
7 Le ƒe enelia ƒe nuwuwu la, Absalom gblɔ na Fia la be, “Na mayi Hebron eye maxe adzɔgbe aɖe si meɖe na Yehowa.
Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.
8 Esi wò subɔla nɔ Gesur le Aram la, meɖe adzɔgbe be, ‘Ne Yehowa akplɔm maɖo Yerusalem la, masubɔ Yehowa le Hebron.’”
For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”
9 Fia la gblɔ nɛ be, “Enyo; yi nàsa vɔ la le adzɔgbe si nèɖe la nu.” Ale Absalom yi Hebron.
“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.
10 Ke esi wònɔ afi ma la, eɖo ŋkutsalawo ɖe Israel ƒe to ɖe sia ɖe me be woagblɔ na amewo be; “Ne miese kpẽwo ƒe ɖiɖi ko la, mianya be wotsɔ Absalom ɖo fiae le Hebron.”
Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”
11 Absalom kplɔ ame alafa eve ɖe asi tso Yerusalem abe eƒe amedzrowo ene ke womenya naneke tso eƒe tameɖoɖowo ŋu o.
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.
12 Esi wònɔ vɔ sam la, eɖo du ɖe Ahitofel, ame si nye David ƒe aɖaŋuɖolawo dometɔ ɖeka si nɔ Giloh. Ahitofel va de Absalom dzi abe ale si ame geɖewo wɔ ene, ale Absalom ƒe babla ɖe David ŋu nu sẽ ŋutɔ.
While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.
13 Le ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe megbe la, ame aɖe va ɖo Yerusalem eye wògblɔ na Fia David be, “Israelviwo katã de Absalom dzi eye wobla ɖe ŋuwò!”
A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”
14 David gblɔ na eƒe amewo enumake be, “Ekema mina míasi enumake hafi sisi magava nɔ mía ŋu o. Ne míesi dzo le dua me hafi Absalom va ɖo la, ekema míawo kple Yerusalem du la siaa míakpɔ ɖeɖe.”
David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”
15 Eŋumewo ka ɖe edzi nɛ be, “Míeli kpli wò; wɔ nu si nyo na wò, míaƒe aƒetɔ fia.”
“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.
16 Ale David kple eƒe aƒemetɔwo dze mɔ enumake; eƒe ahiãvi ewo ko wògble ɖi be woanɔ fiasã la dzi kpɔm.
The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.
17 Ale fia la dze mɔ, eƒe amewo katã dze eyome eye wotɔ ɖe dua godo.
The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,
18 Eƒe amewo kple Keretitɔwo kple Peletitɔwo kple Gititɔ alafa adeawo, ame siwo dze eyome tso Gat la va to eŋu eye wozɔ le fia la ŋgɔ.
and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.
19 Fia la gblɔ na Itai, Gititɔ la be, “Nu ka ta nànɔ mía dome? Trɔ nàyi aɖanɔ Absalom ŋu. Amedzroe nènye, ame si si dzo le mia de.
The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.
20 Etsɔ ko nèva! Egbe la, ɖe mana nàtsa tsaglalã kpli mí, le esime nyemenya afi si yim nye ŋutɔ mele oa? Trɔ kple wò amewo. Amenuveve kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nanɔ kpli mi.”
You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
21 Ke Itai ɖo eŋu be, “Metsɔ Yehowa kple wò ŋutɔ wò agbe ka atam be afi sia afi si nàyi la, nye hã mayi; nya sia nya nedzɔ, nenye agbee hã, kue hã!”
But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”
22 David ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo, miva míyi.” Ale Itai kple eƒe ame alafa adeawo kple woƒe aƒemetɔwo yi kpli wo.
“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.
23 Ame sia ame lé blanui le dua me esime fia la kple eƒe amewo va yina. Wotso Kidron tɔʋu la eye woɖo ta gbegbe la.
All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.
24 Abiata kple Zadok kple Levitɔwo kɔ Mawu ƒe nubablaɖaka la eye wodae ɖe mɔto va se ɖe esime ame sia ame va yi vɔ.
Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.
25 Fia la gblɔ na Zadok be, “Gbugbɔ Mawu ƒe nubablaɖaka la yi dua me. Ne mekpɔ amenuveve le Yehowa ŋkume la, Yehowa ana magagbɔ ava kpɔe kple eƒe nɔƒe.
Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.
26 Ke ne egblɔ be, ‘Nyemekpɔ ŋudzedze le ŋuwò o’ la, ekema mele klalo; newɔ nu sia nu si dze eŋu lam.”
But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”
27 Fia la gblɔ na Zadok be, “Kpɔ ɖa, medi be nàtrɔ le ŋutifafa me ayi dua me kple viwò Ahimaaz kple Abiata ƒe vi, Yonatan.
The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.
28 Matɔ ɖe Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe tɔtsoƒe va se ɖe esime mese nya aɖe tso gbɔwò. Na manya nu si le dzɔdzɔm le Yerusalem hafi mabu ɖe gbegbe la.”
I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”
29 Ale Zadok kple Abiata gbugbɔ Mawu ƒe nubablaɖaka la yi dua me eye wotsi afi ma.
Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 David zɔ mɔ si ɖo ta Amito la dzi henɔ avi fam. Etsyɔ nu ta eye wòɖe afɔ ƒuƒlu abe konyifafa ƒe dzesi ene. Eŋumewo hã tsyɔ nu ta henɔ avi fam le esime wonɔ to la liam.
David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.
31 Esime ame aɖe gblɔ na David be eƒe aɖaŋuɖola Ahitofel dze Absalom yome la, David do gbe ɖa be, “Oo, Yehowa, meɖe kuku, na Ahitofel naɖo aɖaŋu gbegblẽ na Absalom!”
David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”
32 Esi woɖo teƒe si le toa tame, afi si amewo subɔa Mawu le la, David kpɔ Husai, Arkitɔ la, wònɔ elalam; eƒe awuwo vuvu le eŋu eye ke nɔ tame nɛ.
When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.
33 David gblɔ nɛ be, “Ne èdze yonyeme la, agba ko nànye nam.
David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,
34 Ke ne ètrɔ yi dua me eye nègblɔ na Absalom be, ‘O fia, menye fofowò ƒe subɔla tsã, ke azɔ la, manye wò subɔla’ la, ekema àte ŋu akpe ɖe ŋunye to Ahitofel ƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo me gbegblẽ me.
but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.
35 Nunɔla Zadok kple nunɔla Abiata manɔ afi ma kpli wò oa? Gblɔ nu sia nu si nàse le fiasã la me na wo.
Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.
36 Wo viŋutsu eveawo, Ahimaaz, Zadok ƒe vi kple Yonatan, Abiata ƒe vi, le afi ma kpli wo. Gblɔ nu si nàse la na wo be woava gblɔ nam.”
Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”
37 Ale David xɔlɔ̃ Husai trɔ yi dua me eye esi wòɖo teti ko la, Absalom hã va ɖo.
David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.
